Embodiments of the invention relate to appliances, systems, and methods for providing a user with an interactive learning experience.
A number of electronic learning devices exist to help a user learn about a particular subject. In one conventional electronic learning device, the device randomly requests a response from the user, such as how to spell a particular word. The user then inputs a response into an input device, such as a keyboard. The device then tells the user if the response is correct.
A problem with this type of device is that the device typically includes subject matter having only a single level of intellectual difficulty. While a device having a single level of intellectual difficulty may be effective in maintaining the attention span of a child possessing a corresponding level of intelligence, it has been found that this type of device is not as effective in maintaining the attention span of children having higher or lower levels of intelligence. For example, a child with a lower level of intelligence than the intellectual level provided by a learning device of this type would become easily frustrated by the difficulty of the questions provided by the device. Likewise, a child having a higher level of intelligence than the intellectual level provided by the device would become bored with the device because the questions are too easy.
Some have attempted to solve this problem by providing an electronic learning device which, after receiving responses from the user, automatically adjusts the level of difficulty to the user""s level of intelligence. The device operates to lower the level of difficulty of the requests when the user responds inappropriately, and further operates to increase the level of difficulty when the user responds appropriately. The device maintains a level of difficulty, and then raises or lowers the level of difficulty to further maintain the attention of the user.
While an electronic learning device such as this one is effective in some instances. a number of improvements could be made. For example, the educational content included in the learning devices mentioned above is limited. Even if an electronic learning device is capable of adjusting its level of difficulty to the user""s level of intelligence, the user will have interacted with all of the educational content in the electronic learning device at some point. The user may learn the correct answers to a specific set of questions without having mastered the general principles representative of a level of learning. After the user has interacted with all of the available content, the user will become bored and will no longer be interested in using the device. The user will then have to purchase another learning device with different electronic content. Even if another learning device is available, this option is costly to the user. Moreover, the user can easily become disinterested in the learning device if the electronic content is not specifically suited for the user""s needs or preferences. For example, if a learning device is intended to teach math to a user by providing problems relating to cooking (e.g., if 6 teaspoons of sugar are added to a cake mixture, how many tablespoons of sugar are added to the cake mixture?), those users who are not interested cooking-related math problems may not be interested in using the device. In another example, a user may have mastered multiplication, addition, and subtraction, but may have had trouble mastering division. The educational benefit derived by the user may be limited if the device provides an equal number of problems in each of these subject areas. In other words, if the device provides too many problems in those subjects where the user is proficient and not enough problems in those subjects where the user is deficient, the educational benefit obtained by the user may not be adequate to help the user quickly overcome his learning deficiencies (e.g., in division). Furthermore, when the users are children, adults such as parents and teachers cannot monitor the child""s progress when the child uses conventional learning devices. Information regarding the child""s interaction with the device is not stored. Consequently, adults may be unaware of the child""s learning difficulties and the child may not receive the needed guidance from adults to assist the child in learning. Accordingly, an improved learning device would be desirable.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems.
In embodiments of the invention, an interactive learning appliance (ILA) adapts to the user""s level of intelligence and other characteristics of the user. The electronic content used in the learning appliance may be specifically targeted to the preferences or characteristics of the user, and may change as the user uses the appliance over time. Consequently, the interactive learning appliance can be specifically adapted for a particular user and can xe2x80x9cgrowxe2x80x9d with the user.
One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method comprising: (a) receiving performance information of a user, wherein the user performance information is generated by the user""s use of an interactive learning appliance which is adapted to educate the user about a predetermined subject; (b) creating a content package using the user performance information, wherein the content package is adapted to modify the interactive learning appliance; and (c) sending the content package to the user.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a system comprising: a server computer adapted to (a) receive performance information of a user, wherein the user performance information is generated by the user""s use of an interactive learning appliance which is adapted to educate the user about a predetermined subject, (b) create a content package using the user performance information, wherein the content package is adapted to modify the interactive learning appliance; and (c) send the content package to the user; and an electronic content database in communication with the server computer, wherein the electronic content includes information used to create the content package.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an interactive learning appliance for assisting a user in learning. The interactive learning appliance comprises: a processor; an input device; an output device; and an information storage medium comprising a user log file, wherein the user log file receives information relating to the user""s use of the interactive learning appliance, and wherein the user log file is adapted to be sent to a server computer which creates a content package to be used in the interactive learning appliance, after receiving the user log file.
Another embodiment is directed to a system for assisting a user in learning. The system may comprise a) a server computer; b) an interactive learning appliance including an information storage medium comprising performance information of the user and a content package including content suitable for the users level of skill based on the performance information; c) an electronic content database in communication with the server computer, wherein the electronic content database includes content used to create the content package; and d) a linker device adapted to transfer the content package to the information storage medium.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for assisting a user in learning. The method comprises: (a) receiving performance information of a user, wherein the user performance information is generated by the user""s use of an interactive learning appliance; (b) creating a content package using the user performance information, wherein the content package is adapted to modify the interactive learning appliance and includes content which is selected from multiple zones of varying skill; and (c) sending the content package to the user.
These and other embodiments are discussed in further detail below.